Valve apparatus



Jan. 31, 1961 R LBERT E AL 2,969,950

VALVE APPARATUS Filed Jan. 7, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M; i 42 v O i Q; X3 40 48 x IN VENTORS [Ma/161$ /M&

M Maf Jan. 31, 1961 GlLBERT ET AL 2,969,950

VALVE APPARATUS Filed 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VALVE APPARATUS Richard Gilbert, West Chicago, and Robert H. Warkentien, Mount Prospect, IlL, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Colorado Oil and Gas Corporation, Denver, Colo., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 7, 1957, Ser. No. 632,765

3 Claims. (Cl. 25161) This invention relates to improved valve apparatus and more particularly to a .valve apparatus responsive to pressure in a system and adjustable over a substantial range of actuating pressures.

In many fluid systems it is desirable to control the flow in one closed path in response to the pressure in an isolated system. For example, in the refrigeration and air conditioning art it is frequently desirable to control the circulation of cooling water in accordance with the pressure in the refrigerant lines. Thus, in the event that the demands on the cooling system become excessive whereby the condenser forming a part thereof is inadequate to maintain a normal refrigerating cycle, then the pressure in the refrigerant line at or near the condenser will be suflicient to open a valve controlling the flow of cooling Water about the condenser.

Heretofore various valves and valve systems have been proposed for this use but none has proven completely versatile and wholly satisfactory. Furthermore, a single valve has not heretofore been available capable of handling the many types of refrigerants in use today. No valve heretofore known has been readily adjustable for use in difierent refrigerant systems and the like where the optimum actuating pressures vary over a substantial range. Furthermore, valves heretofore proposed for this type of service have generally produced an excessive pressure drop in the fluid line, have been expensive and difiicult to produce and maintain, and have been inaccessible for replacement and repair.

Thus, it is one important object of this invention to provide an improved pressure actuated valve mechanism.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved pressure operated valve in which the pressure at which the valve actuates is adjustable over a very substantial range.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved valve mechanism responsive to a predetermined pressure wherein pressure is adjustable and the valve has a substantially linear operating characteristic be tween the fully open and fully closed position irrespective of the point in said range where the valve initially opens.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide an improved adjustable pressure sensitive valve including unique manually controlled adjusting means readily accessible externally of the valve and sensitive to slight adjusting forces.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide an improved adjustable pressure sensitive valve having a unique flushing means useful both upon initial operation of the valve and at predetermined intervals during the life of the valve.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide an improved adjustable pressure sensitive valve which may readily be assembled with little adjustment and which will be self-centering and self-adjusting upon initial operation.

23,950 Patented Jan. 31, l fil It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved adjustable pressure sensitive fluid valve constructed in three independent parts whereby assembling and maintenance are expedited.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved valve mechanism having a minimum pressure drop resulting from a unique spring design.

it is still a further object of this invention to provide an improved valve mechanism which has greater capacity for a given valve size, which may be readily mounted in any position and, which exhibits a minimum effect due to pressure variations in the fluid lines controlled.

Further and additional objects of this invention will become manifest from a consideration of this specification, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

In one form of this invention an improved pressure sensitive adjustable fluid valve assembly is provided comprising three independent sections assembled together, these sections including a driving or power element, a

pressure adjusting assembly, and a body assembly. More particularly, the power element comprises a bellows responsive to pressure in a line and having a rod drivingly engaging a corresponding pin in the body unit. The body unit is a sealed valve assembly having an inlet and an outlet and a transverse web defining a valve seat. A valve rod and seal are movable through the web to form a seal with the seat and are actuated by the power element. The adjusting assembly is removably attached to the body unit and has a rod normally abutting the valve rod and urging the flexible seal against the power element to engage the valve seat. The adjustable assembly includes unique structural features whereby the valve mechanism is adjustable for actuation over a wide range of pressure variations while maintaining a linear operating characteristic between the fully closed and fully opened positions.

For a more complete understanding of this invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the embodiment of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a body plan view of the embodiment of Fig. l with the adjusting assembly removed.

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 taken on the line 77 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective illustration of the adjusting assembly forming a part of the embodiment of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary exploded view of the body portion of the embodiment of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the valve apparatus 10 comprises three basic elements, namely, a body portion 12, a driver element 14, and an adjusting assembly 16. The driver element 14 is a sealed enclosure providing at its output a linear movement corresponding generally to the pressure in the element. This linear movement is transmitted to a valve seal contained within body 12 whereby the valve is opened in response to increased pressure within the driver element. The adjusting assembly 16 includes spring means urging a rod upwardly (when in the position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3) to urge the valve to the sealed position against the force of driver element 14.

Driver element 14 includes a hollow conduit 18 brazed at one end to a fitting 20 in fluid-tight relationship. A coil spring 22 is secured to fitting 20 and surrounds conduit 18 to protect the conduit by preventing sharp bends therein adjacent to fitting 20. At the otherwise free end of conduit 18 a coupling 24 is brazed or otherwise secured thereto whereby the conduit 18 may be connected into a fluid system. This is especially adapted for connection into the lines of a refrigerating system whereby the valve is responsive to variations in pressure in the refrigerant lines. A rotatable nut 25 is supported on the flared end (not shown) of coupling 24 to facilitate assembly into a fluid system in a conventional manner.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be apparent that conduit 18 which is secured in fitting communicates with the interior cavity of a bell-shaped cover 26. Within the cover 26, a bellows 28 is secured and the bellows 28 is preferably sealed to the cover '26 adjacent the lower edge thereof through a mounting ring 30 or the like. Any convenient means for securing the bellows to the cover providing a pressure seal will suffice. Wherever in this description the terms upper and lower are employed, it will be clear that this refers only to the relative positions illustrated in the various drawings. As already set out above, this valve assembly may be mounted in any position.

Secured to the upper end of bellows 28 is a cap 32 having a central recess 34 therein. The recess 34 is tapered at its lower periphery to readily receive a push rod 36. Push rod 36 has a conical head portion 38 which exhibits a mechanical displacement corresponding to pressures within cover 26. A cover plate 40 is secured to housing 26 by a plurality of cars 42 to protect bellows 28 and to provide a conical guideway 44 for rod 36. A cylindrical stop 46 is secured to cap 32 and extends downwardly to within a small predetermined distance from plate 40. Thus, as the pressure within cover 26 increases, the bellows collapses and the stop 46 provides a limiting means preventing excessive collapse of the bellows 28 irrespective of the pressure in line 18. In one particular embodiment of this invention the parts were so selected and proportioned that this limiting pressure was 300 psi.

The driver element 14 is secured to the body 12 by four machine screws 48 freely received in apertures in plate 40 and threaded into corresponding apertures in the housing 50 of body portion 12. Body portion 12 will best be understood from the transverse sectional view of Fig. 4. Therein it can be seen that the housing 50 has a threaded inlet aperture 52, a corresponding threaded oulet aperture 54, and a fluid passageway interconnecting the inlet and outlet. The passageway is divided into two chambers by a web 56 and the web is so shaped that a generally circular aperture 58 having a vertical axis is provided. A machined bushing 60 of soft material such as brass is threaded into aperture 58 to provide a better valve seat.

This valve seat cooperates with a reciprocable resilient plug seal 62 which may be composed of any resilient material such as rubber, neoprene or the like. The plug 62 is retained in a cup 64 forming a part of the valve stem 65. The stem 65 includes a lower hexagonal portion 66 which guides the seat and insures substantially linear movement with minimum friction. The hexagonal portion is best illustrated in Fig. 6 wherein it can be seen that the corners 68 thereof approach the circular periphery 70 of housing 50 providing accurate positioning of the valve seat and substantially frictionless movement thereof. The hexagonal portion 66 is provided with two apertures 72 to receive any appropriate tool to facilitate removal of the valve stem 65 and plug 62.

Threaded into stem 65 is a main actuating rod 74. Rod 74 has a lower flange 76 which abuts against a portion of stem 65 insuring proper relative positioning of the parts and preventing exposure of the threaded end of rod 74 below the hexagonal portion 66. A guide 78 is disposed on reduced portion 80 of rod 74 and rests on a shoulder on rod 74 defined by said reduced portion.- Rod 74 has a threaded central aperture therein which receives a machine screw 82, machine screw 82 being adapted to clamp an appropriate washer 84 against guide 78. Disposed between washer S4 and guide 78 is a neoprene gasket 86. Gasket 86 has a generally square cross section with a central aperture therein whereby machine screw 82 may be passed therethrough. The gasket 86 is clamped over the opening in body housing 50 to provide a sealed housing.

The relationship of screw 82, washer 84, gasket 86, guide 78, and housing 50 is best shown in Fig. 9. Therein it can be seen that guide 78 is provided with a pair of extensions 88 which ride in corresponding grooves 90 formed in housing 50. Thus, while guide 78 is free to move along the axis of rod 74, extensions 88, and grooves 90 restrain guide 78 against rotative movement. This provides improved valve operation and protects the gasket 86 against torsional and twisting stresses which would otherwise unduly strain the gasket material and shorten the life of the valve.

The adjusting assembly 16 may also be seen in Fig. 4 and may be more clearly understood from the exploded illustration of Fig. 8. The adjusting assembly 16 includes a cup-like shell 92 which is secured to body housing 50 by four machine screws 94. The shell is provided with two elongate slots 96, a central aperture 98, and a small spaced aperture 100. Aperture 106 merely provides for the passage of any water or other fluids which may accumulate at the bottom of the shell 92 in the event that the valve is mounted in the position illus trated. A manually controllable cup 102 is rotatably mounted on the lower portion of shell 92. Cup 102 is provided with peripheral knurling 103 for easier manipu-- lation. Cup 102 is secured to shell 92 by a threaded bushing 104 which is supported in aperture 98 of shell 92 and has a portion extending through a corresponding central aperture 106 of cup 102. The portion of bushing 104 extending through aperture 106 may be staked, soldered or brazed in order to engage the portion of cup 102 adjacent aperture 106.

Bushing 104 is threaded and has mounted thereon a correspondingly threaded collar 108. Brazed or otherwise secured to collar 108 is a cup-like spring receiver or support 110 having a cylindrical side wall 112 and a pair of outwardly extending legs 114 which ride in elongate slots 96 of shell 92. Collar 108 cooperates with support 110 to define a receptacle for two coil springs 116 and 118. Coil spring 116 has a larger diameter and is of a somewhat heavier gauge spring wire than spring 118, but the combination of diameter and wire gauge characteristics result in the springs 116 and 118 having very similar stress-strain characteristics. The characteristics of the two springs will difier somewhat and this is highly desirable in that it renders the control of the spring pressure more sensitive and provides greater linearity throughout the operating range.

A rod 120 is disposed within a central aperture 122 of bushing 104. Rod 120 may fit closely within the aperture 122 but should be freely slidable. To insure free movement of rod 120 a small aperture 124 is provided at the bottom of bushing 104 to vent the recess 122 and prevent the compressive effect or piston action which might occur when rod 120 is reciprocated. Rod 120 has an enlarged shoulder 126 to which is brazed or otherwise secured a disk-like plate 128. Springs 116 and 118 are normally compressed between receiver or support 110 and plate 128 urging plate 128 upwardly (as illustrated in Fig. 4). Rod 120 has an enlarged conical portion 130 with a bevelled upper edge which abuts against aflexible diaphragm 132. The bevelled edge prevents damage to the diaphragm during operation.

The diaphragm 132 is a flexible rubber sheet with a fabric core in a generally square shape apertured to receive mounting screws 94. The diaphragm is normally under compression in its central portion between the upper end of rod 120 and the lower end of stem 65. Thus, stem 65 and rod 120 move integrally, although the rod and stem are separated by a fluid-tight seal formed by diaphragm 132. A guide plate 134 is secured between shell 92 and diaphragm 132 with a spacer 138 between plate 134 and diaphragm 132. Guide plate 134 has a central aperture surrounded by a downwardly extending conic flange through which the conical portion 130 of rod 120 passes.

During normal operation rod 120 will be centrally disposed in the adjusting assembly 16 and thus conic portion 130 will not touch guide plate 134. However, during initial assembly it is possible to rapidly assemble the valve parts without careful alignment thereof. When the Valve is placed in operation, an inlet conduit is connected to threaded inlet 52, an outlet conduit connected to threaded outlet 54, and conduit 18 connected to an appropriate source of variable fluid pressure. To initiate normal valve operation the valve should be first thoroughly flushed to remove any particles of dirt, metal, or other material which might interfere with normal operation. To accomplish this, a screwdriver or other similar tool is inserted into one of the slots 96 between the plate 128 and the guide plate 134. The tool is manipulated to force the plate 128 away from the guide plate 134 (downwardly in Fig. 4) and this relieves the spring pressure on rod 120, forces rod 120 downwardly and permits the valve to move to the fully open position. Maximum fluid flow thus results for a short period of time whereby the complete valve assembly is purged of any contaminants.

Following this operation the valve should be fully actuated in the normal manner either by substantially relieving the spring pressure by appropriately adjusting the position of support 110, or by applying maximum pressure through conduit 18. In so operating the valve the valve actuating rod 74 will be fully extended forcing the conical portion 130 of rod or pin 120 downwardly into the conic flange 136 of guide plate 134. This will automatically position rod 120 centrally in shell 92 to provide subsequent free operation of the various parts.

Springs 118 and 116 are oppositely wound, that is, one is a right-hand helical spring while the other is a lefthand helical spring, whereby the parts may be rapidly assembled without danger of the springs becoming tangled or interrelated in any way. Because of the counterwound construction, the springs cannot possibly intermesh at any time. Thereby substantially improved operating characteristics, operating range, and linearity are attained in a small, compact, inexpensive construction.

When the valve is in normal operation and in a closed position fluid pressure is applied through inlet 52 and this pressure is exerted against resilient seal 62 disposed in valve cup 64 and against upper diaphragm 86. The areas of the seal 62 and diaphragm 86 are so selected and related that the valve will normally be held closed by only a slight pressure in the order of five p.s.i. without the influence of either the driving element 14 or the adjusting assembly 16. Thus, a pressure of five p.s.i. in driving element 14 would be enough to open the valve. However, a counterbalancing closing force is always applied to the valve by adjustable assembly 16. This force is available by rotation of the knurled cup 102 and the range of pressures available is in the order of 60 to 270 p.s.i. By turning knurled cup 102 in a clockwise direction collar 108 is threaded upwardly to produce maximum closing forces on the valve. Conversely, by turning knurled cup 102 in a counterclockwise direct-ion, collar 108 is threaded downwardly reducing the spring compression toward the minimum.

When the valve is actuated by fluid pressure in line 18 the degree of actuation is substantially directly related to the pressure above the predetermined bias provided by springs 116 and 118. Thus, if the bias were preset at, for example, p.s.i. the valve would be initially opened when this pressure was present in power element 14. Over a range of approximately 50 p.s.i. the degree of valve actuation is directly related to pressure in power element 14 so that with the spring adjusted for initial opening at approximately 100 p.s.i., the valve would be fully opened at approximately p.s.i. When the valve opens, fluid pressure is applied to diaphragm 132 and this fluid pressure opposes the force of springs 116 and 118. Thus, when the valve opens there is a modicum of self-actuating force provided whereby loss of pressure head or the pressure drop across the valve is reduced. The relationship of the various parts and particularly of the two counterwound springs 116 and 118 can best be seen from the exploded view of Fig. 8.

A mounting bracket 136 is retained under any two of the machine screws 94 whereby the valve may be mounted in any position as shown best in Fig. 2.

While one particular embodiment of this invention has been described in detail it will be clear that one skilled in this art may utilize the teachings of this invention in various devices of the type described herein. For example, the utilization of counterwound helical springs to provide an improved compact adjustable valve control might be utilized in other valve mechanisms; the provision of means for quick and simple manual flushing of the valve might be incorporated in various ways into other valve structures; the balancing of forces to provide maximum loss of pressure over a widely adjustable range might be provided in other similar structures While in corporating the teaching of this invention, and the use of three integral but separable units for driving and controlling a valve might be utilized while omitting certain other features of the invention.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain the character of our invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under varying conditions of service, while retaining certain features which may properly be said to constitute the essential items of novelty involved, which items are intended to be defined and secured to us by the following claims.

. We claim:

1. Means for adjusting the actuating pressure of a fluid valve, such valve including a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a communicating passageway, a valve seat in said passageway, a seal engageable with the valve seat to define inlet and outlet cavities and a stem extending from said seal into said outlet cavity and having a free end, said seal and stem movable between a closed position against said seat and an open position in said outlet cavity, the housing being apertured adjacent the free end of said stem, said adjusting means comprising a shell secured to said housing and defining a substantially cylindrical cavity coaxial with said stem, manually rotatable means enclosing a portion of said shell and coaxially mounted therewith, said rotatable means including a threaded portion extending axially within said shell, support means threadedly engaging said threaded portion and engaging said shell to permit relative axial movement therebetween while restraining said support against rotation relative to said shell, said support defining an annular recess intermediate said shell and said threaded portion, flexible diaphragm means closing the aperture in said housing, coaxial rod means aligned with said stem with said diaphragm disposed therebetween, plate means slidable in said shell and carried by said rod means, and coil spring means compressed between said support means and said plate means, said coil spring means comprising two coaxial coil springs of different stiifness in the form of counterwound helices, the larger of said springs fitting closely against the outer periphery of said annular recess, and the smaller of said springs fittingly closely against the inner periphery of said annular recess whereby said springs are maintained in substantially coaxial relationship, said shell being apertured whereby said valve may be manually flushed by the insertion of any means in said aperture to compress said spring means and permit said'seal to move to said open position.

2. Means for adjusting the actuating pressure of a fluid valve, such valve including a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a communicating passageway, a valve seat in said passageway, a seal engageable with the valve seat to define inlet and outlet cavities and a stem extending from said seal into said outlet cavity and having a free end, said seal and stem movable between a closed position against said seat and an open position in said outlet cavity, the housing being apertured adjacent the free end of said stem, said adjusting means comprising a shell secured to said housing and defining a substantially cylindrical cavity coaxial with said stem, manually rotatable means enclos ing a portion of said shell and coaxially mounted therewith, said rotatable means including a threaded portion extending axially within said shell, support means threadedly engaging said threaded portion and engaging said shell to permit ralative axial movement therebetween While restraining said support against rotation relative to said shell, said support defining an annular recess intermediate said shell and said threaded portion, flexible diaphragm means closing the aperture in said housing, coaxial rod means aligned with said stem with said diaphragm disposed therebetween, plate means slidable in said shell and carried by said rod means, and coil spring means compressed between said support means and said plate means, said coil spring means comprising two coaxial coil springs of different stiffness in the form of counterwound helices, the larger of said springs fitting closely against the outer periphery of said annular recess, and the smaller of said springs fitting closely against the inner periphery of said annular recess whereby said springs are maintained in substantially coaxial relationship, said shell being apertured adjacent the normal position of said plate means whereby said valve may be manually flushed by the insertion of any means in said aperture between said plate means and said housing to compress said spring means.

3. A valve comprising a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a communicating passageway, a valve seat in said passageway, 21 seal engageable with the valve seat to define inlet and outlet cavities and a stem extending from said seal into said outlet cavity and having a free end, said seal and stem movable between a closed position against said seat and an open position in said outlet cavity, the housing being apertured adjacent the free end of said stem, a shell secured to said housing and defining a substantially cylindrical cavity coaxial with said stem, manually rotatable means enclosing a portion of said shell and coaxially mounted therewith, said rotatable means including a threaded portion extending axially within said shell, support means threadedly engaging said threaded portion and engaging said shell to permit relative axial movement therebetween while restraining said support against rotation relative to said shell, said support defining an annular recess intermediate said shell and said threaded portion, flexible diaphragm means closing the aperture in said housing, coaxial rod means aligned with said stem with said diaphragm disposed therebetween, plate means slidable in said shell and carried by said rod means, and coil spring means compressed between said support means and said plate means, said coil spring means comprising two coaxial coil springs of different stiffness in the form of counterwound helices, the larger of said springs fitting closely against the outer periphery of said annular recess, and the smaller of said springs fitting closely against the inner periphery of said annular recess whereby said springs are maintained in substantially coaxial relationship, said shell being apertured whereby said valve may be manually flushed by the insertion of any means in said aperture to compress said spring means and permit said seal to move to said open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

